Patient Instructions

Diet

If you have diabetes and take insulin, ask your primary care doctor about your diet before the test.

Medicine

Take prescribed medicine unless told not to by your doctor.

Do not take erectile dysfunction (ED) medicines 48 hours before the test.

Clothing

Wear shorts, comfortable slacks or sweatpants.

Do not wear panty hose.

Wear tennis shoes or comfortable walking shoes.

Smoking

Do not smoke the morning of the test.

The Test

We will ask you to sign a consent form giving us the go-ahead to do the test.

We will prepare the skin on your chest where the electrodes will be placed with a coarse lotion. We may have to shave some hair from the chests of male patients. Doing so ensures the electrodes make good contact with the chest to accurately monitor your heart’s rhythm.

You will then walk on the treadmill. An exercise physiologist will watch the monitor for any changes that may suggest heart disease or rhythm problems.

We will check your blood pressure often during the test.

The test will take about 30 minutes.

If you have any questions, please call: CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center at 320-656-7020 or 800-448-3455